Norway - North Cape September 1-17, 2025 September 7

Today we are traveling to Vadsø and Vardø. We will also take the Varanger scenic route, the road to the Arctic Ocean.

Length 160 km M above sea level 0 – 123

The Norwegian Scenic Route Varanger runs between Varangerbotn and Hamningberg. In combination with Hurtigruten and the Norwegian Scenic Route Havøysund, this route can be put together to create one of the most beautiful round trips in Norway.

For cycling tourists: The scenic route is a relatively easy but long bike ride along the Varangerfjord, which should start in Varangerbotn. Please note that the road to Vardø goes through a tunnel beneath the sea surface. The drive to Hamningberg goes through hilly terrain.

The landscape in Varanger differs significantly from the Norwegian fjord and mountain landscape. The Varanger Peninsula consists of gentle hills with a rocky coastline and cliffs facing the Barents Sea and a flatter coastline with sandy and pebbly beaches along the Varangerfjord. Smaller sections of the Varanger Peninsula also have permafrost, the only place on the Norwegian mainland with real tundra. Along the lower, southern coast, there are forests, and along the Tana River, there are pine forests. Thus, the landscape shows many different faces. Vardø is a historical town

According to the sagas, the first church and fortress in Vardø was established in 1307, and for 700 years, Vardø has been Norway's easternmost outpost. The town was granted city rights in 1789, the first in Northern Norway. Although it was bombed in 1944, there are still some old houses in Vardø, and combined with the colorful street art, the town is a paradise for photographers.

Hornøya Island, just a few minutes by boat from Vardø, forms the eastern end of Norway. The main attraction is the bird cliff, home to tens of thousands of puffins, guillemots, razorbills, three-toed gulls, cormorants, and other seabirds. Nowhere else can you get as close to the birds as here. Take a walk around the cliff and visit the lighthouse.

Vadsø is the capital of the Kven.

Although Vadsø received its city rights in 1833, it became an important trading place for fish in the 1860s when the town took in immigrants from starving Finland. Today, you can study traditional Finnish architecture in the well-preserved Tuomainen House and stroll through the Norwegian merchant residence Espensengården. The immigrant monument in the center of Vadsø honors Vadsø's multicultural past.

In the evening, we will once again marvel at a beautiful Northern Lights show.